DBDesigner4 is an open source visual database design and querying tool for the MySQL database released under the GPL.[2] It was written in 2002/2003 by the Austrian programmer Michael G. Zinner for his fabFORCE.net platform using Delphi 7 / Kylix 3.[3][4]

While being a physical-modeling only tool DBDesigner4 offers a comprehensive feature set including reverse engineering of MySQL databases, model-to-database synchronization, model poster printing, basic version control of schema models and a SQL query builder.[5] It is available for MS Windows, Mac OS X and Linux.[6]

In late 2003, Zinner was approached by representatives from MySQL AB and joined the company to take over the development of graphical user interface (GUI) tools for MySQL. This led to the creation of the MySQL GUI Tools Bundle.[7]

The MySQL GUI Tools Bundle is a cross-platform open source suite of desktop applications for the administration of MySQL database servers, and for building and manipulating the data within MySQL databases. It was developed by MySQL AB and later by Sun Microsystems and released under the GPL. Development on the GUI Tools bundle has stopped, and is now[when?] only preserved under the Download Archives of the MySQL site.[8]

The GUI Tools bundle has been superseded by MySQL Workbench, and reached its End-of-Life with the beta releases of MySQL Workbench 5.2. However, the MySQL Support team continued to provide assistance for the bundle until June 30, 2010.[9]

The first preview version of MySQL Workbench was released in September 2005,[10] and was not included in the MySQL GUI Tools Bundle. Development was started again in 2007 and MySQL Workbench was set to become the MySQL GUI flagship product.[11]

Version numbering was started 5.0 to emphasis the fact that MySQL Workbench was developed as the successor to DBDesigner4.[12]

MySQL Workbench 5.0 and 5.1 are specialized visual database design tools for the MySQL database. While MySQL Workbench 5.0 was a MS Windows only product cross-platform support was added to MySQL Workbench 5.1 and later.[13][14]

Starting with MySQL Workbench 5.2 the application has evolved to a general database GUI application. Apart from physical database modeling it features a SQL Editor, database migration tools, and a database server administration interface, replacing the old MySQL GUI Tools Bundle.

On May 22, 2013 the MySQL Workbench Team announced that they were working on Version 6.0. The first public beta, labeled version 6.0.2, was released on June 14, 2013, and the first general-availability release was made on August 12, 2013.[15]

On January 23, 2014 the MySQL Workbench Team announced its first public beta release of Version 6.1. The first general-availability release was made on March 31, 2014.[16] New features include improved Visual Explain output, a Performance dashboard, Performance Schema support, additional query result views, and MSAA support.

On August 19, 2014 the MySQL Workbench Team announced its first public beta release of Version 6.2. The first general-availability release was made on September 23, 2014.[17] New features shortcut buttons for common operations, "pinning" of the results tab, Microsoft Access Migration, MySQL Fabric Integration, Spatial View Panel to visualize spatial and geometry data, Geometry Data Viewer, Result Set Width, SQL editor tabs are properly saved, Shared Snippets, a new Run SQL Script dialog, Model Script Attachments, Client Connections management has a new "Show Details" window where more information about connections, locks, and attributes is displayed, performance columns can display sizes in KB, MB, or GB, the migration wizard can resume operations of data copying if interrupted, MySQL connection password is remembered across the MySQL Workbench session.

MySQL Workbench is the first MySQL family of products that offer two different editions - an open source and a proprietary edition.[18] The "Community Edition" is a full featured product that is not crippled in any way. Being the foundation for all other editions it will benefit from all future development efforts. The proprietary "Standard Edition" extends the Community Edition with a series of modules and plugins.[19][citation needed]

As this business decision was announced soon after the takeover of MySQL by Sun Microsystems, this has caused speculation in the press about the future licensing of the MySQL database.[20][21]

Since its introduction MySQL Workbench has become popular within the MySQL community. It is now the second most downloaded product from the MySQL website with more than 250,000 downloads a month.[22] Before that it was voted Database Tool of the Year 2009 on Developer.com.[23]

MySQL Workbench has been reviewed by the open source community and print magazines.[24][25][26][27]